China claims it ‘warned off’ US warship in its waters; US Navy says blatantly ‘false’

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The Chinese military claimed U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyer USS Curtis Wilbur “trespassed” into Chinese waters near the Paracel Islands and was expelled by Chinese ships. The U.S. Navy responded, firmly rejecting China’s “expelling” claims, which China has made repeatedly over the years without proof.

Spokesperson for the China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Southern Theater Command, PLA Air Force Senior Col. Tian Junli, said USS Curtis Wilbur “trespassed into China’s territorial waters of Xisha Islands on May 20 without Chinese government’s permission” and PLA naval and air forces “warned off the US destroyer.”

“The Xisha Islands are China’s inherent territory. The behavior of the US military is its old trick of ‘hybrid manipulation’ — to practice navigation hegemony and at the meantime, mislead public opinion,” Tian said.

The U.S. Navy responded in a statement, saying, “The PLA’s statement about this mission is false. USS Curtis Wilbur was not ‘expelled’ from any nation’s territory.”

“USS Curtis Wilbur conducted this FONOP in accordance with international law and then continued on to conduct normal operations in international waters. The operation reflects our commitment to upholding freedom of navigation and lawful uses of the sea as a principle. The United States will continue to fly, sail and operate wherever international law allows, as USS Curtis Wilbur did here,” the U.S. Navy said.

“The PLA’s statement is the latest in a long string of PRC actions to misrepresent lawful U.S. maritime operations and asserts its excessive and illegitimate maritime claims at the expense in the Southeast Asian neighbors in the South China Sea. The PRC’s behavior stands in contrast to the United States’ adherence to international law and our vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific region. All nations, large and small, should be secure in their sovereignty, free from coercion, and able to pursue economic growth consistent with accepted international rules and norms,” the U.S. Navy added.

The Paracel Islands, also known as the Xisha Islands, are claimed by China, Vietnam, and Taiwan.

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